Can opener



P 1953 E. w. CURTIS 2,651,838

CAN OPENER Filed Aug. 26, 1950 IN V EN TOR. 15494 W Cz/wvs Patented Sept. 15, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,651,838 CAN OPENER Earl W. Curtis, Templepla w Application August 26, 1950, Serial No. 1s'1.o07 SCIainis. (01. 30- 9) .Thistinvention is for'an improved can opener.

Mypresent can opener is of the type that may be mounted upon the wall. or other'upright support and which may be manipulated by means of a crank for cutting out the top of a can.

There are numerous prior devices ofthis same general type in which the cutting means is first brought into operative engagement with the can as separate manipulation from the cutting op erationtha't follows. That is to say, in such prior devices the preliminary positioning and the following operation of 'the cuttingmeans are performed as separate and distinct steps and there is necessarily involved a delay as well as inconvenience in the process of performing the first operation in such a separate anddistinct manner from the initiation of the second operation. ft is therefore the object of the present invention to devise acan opener in which the positioning and operation of the cutting means may be performed asone continuous, combined manipulation and in which there is provided a single manipulatable means for initiating and continuing this combined operation to the point of completion.

Other objects consist in the provision of the particular features of construction andoperation as hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing is a side elevation of my present improved can opener;

Fig. 2 is a partial elevation showing the parts in operative position whereas Fig. 1 shows them in inoperative position; I

Fig. 3 is an end elevation corresponding to Fi l;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a part of the device; and

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of a part of the device and corresponds to line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

It is to be understood that the present form of disclosure is merely for the purpose of illustration and that there might be devised various modifications thereof without-departing from the .ment in any one oif-several notches lblin the arouate shaped. part Id of the fixed bracket I so as disk 6 which is adapted to'engage beneath the top m'arginal'portion of a can that is to be opened. Upon this same block 5Jthere is mounted also the positioning means '1 which has upwardly and an'gularly extending spaced projections 1a and la above the knurled disk 6, and a'downwardly and angular-1y extending projectingifiange lb below the knurled "disk 6. The stop edge of the positioning means 1. is cut away so as to permit the top edge of the can to be positionedbetween and beneath the projections wand 7a and to permit the knurled disk 6 toprojectthereabove for operative engagement beneath the top edge of the can; and the projection la-may be formed as the end of a spring arm integral with the guide means 1 as clearly indicated in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, this spring arm being of proper tension for positioning a can of any diameter or even a square can with a small corner radius. The flange 1b is intended to be eng aged bythe body. .of the can so as to ensure positioning of thetop edge portion of the same at the proper angle with respectvto the cutting means which will now be described. L v

Upon the upper part ofthe. U -shape d portion 20 of the bracket, there is mounted the carriage of uppercompanion bracket 9 for slidable movement therealong. A coil spring it normally tends toforce' the carriage 9 upwardly and the pin I 1' acts as a stop to limit such movement. The shaft I? is fixed-1y mounted upon the carr'iage' 9 and extends downwardly at an angle of approximately 30 degrees. Rotatably mounted upon this shaft-2 'there' is the cuttermember l3 andits collar-1'4 fixed upon the'hub thereof, andthe guide wheel I5 which may also be fixed upon the hub of the cutter member-l3 or freely and separately mounted for rotation upon the fixed shaftlll. Upon the outer end of the shaft 3 split washer I6 which will permit ready removal of the cutter for cleaning and replacement of the same.

U on the rear side of the carriage 9 there is I pivota lv mounted the hook me ber I 1 whose po nt I1. is in the same plane with the notch I8a in the eri hery of the circular member I8 fixed u on t e shaft Fa o the disk and is a apted for coooerative en a ement with the notch I8a. The hook member I1 is so formed and is so mounted that, hen han in idly, its pointed end will bear a ainst the per ph r of the notched disk I3: and. when the notched member is rotared in clock-Wise d rec ion as viewed in Fig. 5 of the resent drawin the point I'Ia will be enga ed by the abrupt ri ht-hand side of the notch I8a (Fi 5) and the hook member I! will be turned about its pivot so as to cause the-circular inner surface of the hook member to become en a ed about the notched disk I 8 which is of sightlv less curvatu e than that of the inner surface of the hook member IT. The hook member I! at the same time is ulled down and li ewise the carria e 9 is lowered against the s ring I". Such rotation of the shaft 6a may be effected by means of the crank 20 which is fixed upon the shaft 6a. These parts are so constructed and arran ed that such lowering of the carriage 5 will be effected by rotation of crank 20 and consequent downward pulling action of the hook member I'I when engaged by notch Ilia, which serves to bring the cutter I3 into operative position with res ect to the top edge of a can that is to be opened and whose top edge portion will be engaged between the knurled disk 6 and the cutter member I3; in fact, cutter member I 3 will be caused by such downward or lowering movement to actually pierce the top of the can, and continued rotation of the crank 20 will cause the rotatable knurled disk 6 to rotate the can and thus effect a continued cutting of the can top about a circular path. At the same time the wheel I5 will engage and ride the top edge of the can so as to maintain the proper operative osition of the cutter member I3 with respect to the can top in the re ion immediately within the rim or edge portion thereof.

The hook member I I may be mounted upon the carriage 9 with an eccentric bushing I'Ib by means of the screw I To so as to permit adjustment of the same for varying its effective length with respect to the notched disk I8 and thereby ensure proper interengagement between these parts.

In actual use of this device, a can may be placed with the upper part of its side bearing against the flange lb and with its upper edge or rim portion bearing up against the projections Ia, Ia and positioned above the knurled disk 6. At this time the hook member I I is free of the notched disk I8, as indicated in Fig. 5. This positioning of the can affords what might be regarded as a threepoint engagement between the flange 'Ib and the pro ections 1a and Ia. Then, while holding the can in such position, the user may turn the crank 20 clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 5 or counterclockwise as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, so as to rotate the notched disk I8 and cause its notch I8a to engage the hook point IIa of the hook member H, whereupon continued rotative operation will cause the lower end of the hook IT to be rolled into engagement about the disk I 8 which becomes engaged within the curved inner surface of the hook I! and at the same time cause the cutting member I3 to be lowered into cutting engagement with the top of the can just within the edge thereof.

As may be observed, the engagement of the rotating disk I8 with the hook I! will cause the same to have a combined downward and pivotal movement until it has assumed full engagement about the disk I8 which will then rotate therewithin. It will be observed also that the upper edge of the can will then be effectively engaged between the cutter member I3 and the knurled disk 6 and the can will be rotated by the disk 6 so as to effect continued cutting of the can top. At the same time, the wheel I5 has been positioned so as to ensure maintenance of the can top in proper position with respect to the cutter member I3. In fact, the can is so positioned between the projections Ia and la and the flange lb that the edge of the cutting member I3, when lowered, will bear the most effective angle with respect to the can top and will be brought into effective engagement in the corner of the can top so as to ensure complete removal of the same, and it is to be noted that the knurled disk 6, the cutter member I3 and the wheel I5 are all so positioned for their respective engagements with the can for performance of the intended operation as herein explained.

The collar I4 may be made of slightly smaller diameter than the cutter member I3 so as to have a tendency to press down the edge of the severed part of the can top; and the point of the cutting action by the cutting member I3 may be slightly in advance of the point of tangency of the collar I4 with the can top; with the result that, when the cutter member I3 nears completion of the cutting operation in any given case, downward pressure of the collar I4 upon the can top will cause the edge of the same in advance of the cutter member I3 to rise; and, by interrupting the operation temporarily, the user may grasp the can top and easily remove the same upon completion of the cutting operation.

When the can top has been completely severed from the can, and upon reverse rotation of the crank 20, the hook I! will be moved slightly counter-clockwise (Fig. 5) by the friction created by the spring I0 acting upon the carriage so that the hook point I'Ia will engage the inclined lefthand side of the notch lBa (Fig. 5), and the hook member 11 will be turned about its pivot point out of engagement with the notched disk I8 so as to again occupy idle positionindicated in Fig. 5. Such disengagement of the hook I? permits the spring I0 to return the cariage 9 to its upper position and thus the cutter member I3 is raised out of operative position and the can may be removed.

The principal feature of novelty in this device resides in the fact that there is a unitary means capable of continuous manipulation for effecting the operative position of the cutter member with respect to the can top and for performing the cutting operation. That is, both of these operations may be performed as one combined or con tinuous manipulation without any interruption. This, of course, means a saving in time and also a decided convenience. Also, the entire device may be readily removed for cleaning or storage by merely lifting the vertical portion 2a of the main bracket from the wall bracket I. The same bent rod serves as a bracket for mounting upon the wall bracket and also for supporting the mechanism at its other end; and this same princi ple of dual-purpose bracket and support may be embodied in other modified forms of construction. Also, the wall bracket I may be provided with any desired number of notches for engagement by the end of the latch member 3.

Other-practieat advantagesend possible mddi ncations of my present 'inve'ntionwill i eadiiy-isug gest' themselves to th'ose' who' are manner with the-art to-= which' it relates.

What I claim is:

' 13A can opener comprising rotaitable means adapted tobe" brought into operative engagement with one side'cii'the edge portion of'aeanfitor cutting the same, "rotatable "means: adapted for operative engagement withthe opposite side: of the same:edge portion of tha i or' effecting rotation 'thereof, said l'ast-nam'ed rotatable means having a shaft, and: I a unitary imanipu, latable means .ixfor effecting operative engagement (of-1 said; rotatable ,rneans with the opposite sides; respectively: of the :sarne r edge ipo r-ti'onr of arcan so as .to efiectively position the therebetween for the cutting operation and foreffebm ingthe rotation and simultaneous f cuttingoperation thereupon, said last-named means includingca; rotatable disk means 1011': the? shaft of said secondenainedmeans .a-coinpanion means associated with said outtingrmeansf for co-operative-releasable engagement with said-disk: means, saidgcombanionmeans and cutting means being bodily.- movable towardsrand; from-1said'secondnamed means soas to. position said cutting means with-respect tothecan, and said companion means being adaptedrto be moved into engagement with said disk means for shooting said movement of said cutting means and being adapted also to accommodate disk means; in continued rotation in operative-direction for the cutting operation.

:2. A- can opener comprising rotatablemeans adapted to be brought into operative engagement with the one side of the edge portion of a can for cutting the same, rotatable means adapted for operative engagement with the other side of the same edge portion of the can for effecting rotation thereof, and means manipulatable by a single continuous operation for initiating operative engagement of said rotatable means with the inner and outer sides, respectively, of the same edge portion of a can so as to effectively position the same therebetween for the cutting operation and for effecting the rotation and simultaneous cutting operation thereupon, said last-named means including a single rotatable disk on the shaft of said second-named means and a single companion member associated with said cutting means for (so-operative engagement with said disk, said companion member and cutting means being bodily movable towards and from said second-named means so as to position said cutting means with respect to the can, and said companion member having a circular recessed portion adapted to be moved into engagement with said disk for effecting said movement of said cutting means and within which said disk may be continued in its rotation in operative direction for the cutting operation.

3. A can opener comprising rotatable means adapted to be brought into operative engagement with one side of the edge portion of a can for cutting the same, rotatable means adapted to be brought into operative engagement with the opposite side of the same edge portion of the can for effecting rotation thereof, and a unitary manipulatable means for effecting operative engagement of said rotatable means with the opposite sides, respectively, of the same edge por tion of a can so as to effectively position the same therebetween for the cutting operation and for effecting the rotation and simultaneous cutting :operation thereupon, said last-named means including. apivotally' mounted hcokmemherassociatedwith'saidputting means, said hook memberiand cutting :means being bodily movable towards and fro'misaid" second-named means; so asxtdpositionsaidficutting means with respect to the-baneand a'adiskaonfthe shaft of said secondna'rneds-means;-saidthookvmember having a re- -c'e'ss w ith .a 'circular' inner surface of slightly greater curvature than that of said: disk so, that said diskeniay be received within said hook memherand continued-in :itsrotation in operative direction fcr'ithe cutting ioperation. 7

A can iopener comprising a bracket, rotatable means adapted" to'" be brought into operativeengagemient with-the one side of the edge portion of a' can for cutting the same, rotatable means:-adaptedi to 'engagethe otherside of the samek-edge-vportion" of the canfor'efiecting rotat-ion thereof, said rotatable means being mounted-upon said-bracket and said rotatable meansebeingrrelatively'movable-the one with respect to-tthe other :along a straight; line uponsaid bracket so as to bring the same'into operative relation to sai'dc.can,riand unitary manipulatable means =foreffecting= such relative straight-line movement of said meansitowardseach other for operative engagement .'-;0.f said rotatable means withthe 'inner'and' outer sides, respectively, of

the sameedge portion of the can so as to position thesame"therebetween" and for eifecting the rotation and Fsimu'ltaneous cutting operation -thereup'on, said .yunitary :i'means including a pivotedhook-member:associated with said firstnamed rotatable'ameans, anda "circular disk with a peripheral notch mounted upon the axis of said second-named rotatable means, said hook member having a recess adapted to receive said disk for rotation of the same therewithin, and the notch of said disk being adapted to engage the point of said hook so as to constitute a fulcrum for bringing said recessed hook member into engagement about said disk so as to permit rotation of said disk therewithin.

5. A can opener comprising a main bracket, an upper companion bracket adapted for straight-line movement along said main bracket, rotatable cutting means mounted upon said companion bracket and adapted to be lowered into operative engagement with the one side of the edge portion of a can, the axis of the shaft of said cutting means being at an angle of ap proximately thirty (30) degrees, a rotatable knurled disk mounted upon said main bracket and adapted to engage the other side of the same edge portion of the can for effecting rotation thereof, in the performance of the cutting operation, a crank member fixedly mounted upon the shaft of said rotatable disk and having a peripherally notched circular member rotatable therewith, an arm pivotally depending from said movable bracket and having its lower free end formed as a hook with a point adapted to be engaged by the notch of said notched member for lowering said upper bracket so as to bring said cutting means into position for the cutting operation, upon continued operation of said crank member, and having its hook formed with a circular inner surface to receive said notched member bodily for hearing engagement and continued rotation therewithin, and spring means for effecting upward movement of said upper companion bracket so as to disengage said cut ting means from the can upon release of the end portion of said hook from engagement with said 7 notched member upon reverse rotation of said notched member by said crank member.

6. A can opener comprising rotatable means adapted to be brought into operative engagement with one side of the edge portion of a can for cutting the same, rotatable means adapted for operative engagement with the opposite side of the same edge portion of the can for effecting rotation thereof, said last-named rotatable means having a shaft, and a unitary manipulatable means for efiecting operative engagement of said rotatable means with the opposite sides, respectively, of the same edge portion of a can so as to effectively position the same therebetween for the cutting operation and for effecting the rotation and simultaneous cutting operation thereupon, and means located to the rear of the point of cutting engagement of said cutting means with the top of the can for there depressing the can top as it is severed from the can and thereby causing the can top in advance of the point of cutting engagement to be raised so as to facilitate removal of the same upon being completely severed from the can.

'7. A can opener comprising a bracket, rotatable means adapted to be brought into operative engagement with the one side of the edge portion of a can for cutting the same, rotatable means adapted to engage the other side of the same edge portion of the can for effecting rotation thereof, said rotatable means being mounted upon said bracket and said rotatable means being relatively movable the one with respect to the other along a straight line upon said bracket so as to bring the same into operative relation to said can, and unitary manipulatable means for effecting such relative straight-line movement of said means towards each other for operative engagement of said rotatable means with the inner and outer sides, respectively, of the same edge portion of the can so as to position the same therebetween and for effecting the rotation and simultaneous cutting operation thereupon, said unitary means including a pivoted hook member associated with said first-named rotatable means, and a circular disk with a peripheral notch mounted upon the axis of said second-named rotatable means, said hook member having a recess adapted to receive said disk for rotation of the same therewithin, and the notch of said disk being adapted to engage the point of said hook so as to constitute a fulcrum for bringing said recessed hook member into engagement about said disk member so as to permit rotation of said disk therewithin.

8. The same structure as recited in claim 7 hereof and in which said pivoted hook member has a rotatably adjustable eccentric mounting so as to permit variation of the effective length thereof with respect to said notched disk so as to ensure proper interengagement therebetween.

EARL W. CURTIS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,257,549 Froelich Sept. 30, 1941 2,462,416 Nelson Feb. 22, 1949 2,592,935 McLean Apr. 15, 1952 

